I by IMD

I by IMD offers first-person business intelligence from the brightest thinkers in academia, business and society. Written by experts for experts, we present a platform for debate on the latest issues in management, strategy, technology, finance, team building and innovation. Our content ecosystem is designed to spark conversation and deliver actionable insights to a broad and engaged global audience. We host conversations – via articles, comment pieces, videos and podcasts – about the latest issues in management. Whether ideas about companies or office politics, we aim to spark debate – you may not agree with everything you read here – and to deliver actionable insights to an engaged global executive audience.

Trust is fragile and precious … we must handle with care

I by IMD

The Motor City takes detour away from Silicon Valley orthodoxy • Many regional developers have tried and failed to emulate Silicon Valley’s VC-driven model for innovation. Jerry Davis explores how Detroit, the birthplace of Ford, is following an alternative route – with promising results

Trust is like a dance. Learn the steps to be a better leader • To waltz smoothly through office life, we need to balance vulnerability and honest feedback, says Ben Bryant. And it’s perfectly fine to step on someone’s toes occasionally

In the Age of Grievance, here’s how to restore faith in our leadership • According to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, trust in employers is declining for the first time. Sat Dayal suggests practical measures to get back on track.

Fakery and falsehood: why prevention is better than cure • It’s possible to immunize people against false or manipulated information through simple exercises that policymakers and platforms could easily roll out, writes Sander van der Linden

MISINFORMATION OR DISINFORMATION?

THE RISE OF INOCULATION AS A WEAPON AGAINST MISINFORMATION

Repairing reputational damage: don’t be going the way of Boeing • All organizations should have a plan to secure trust during, after (and even before) a crisis hits. Michael Skapinker offers a host of examples, both good and bad, to learn from

How to heal teams driven apart by suspicion • Michael Watkins offers a diagnostic tool and roadmap to rebuild trust and confidence within dysfunctional teams – the first crucial steps toward a future of high performance

The crisis of trust and how to solve it • In an interview with I by IMD, Ros Taylor, author of ‘The Future of Trust’, explores how the nebulous nature of globalization has fractured trust in institutions and triggered a renaissance of faith in the individual.

How stakeholder capitalism builds the currency of trust • Companies pursuing ESG goals increasingly face a backlash from shareholders who fear a drop in financial performance. Changes to corporate governance may be needed to restore trust on both sides of the social and political divide, argues Jordi Gual

Honesty and courage: building on the cornerstones of trust • Trust is the bedrock of effective leadership. It calls for executives to take a more emotionally intelligent approach, writes George Kohlrieser

THE RIGHT WAY … AND THE WRONG WAY

Overcoming fear to build trust upwards • Senior managers can find themselves gripped by anxiety and insecurity when a new boss arrives. Angelica Adamski explains how to take positive steps to build mutual respect and trust

Six ways boards can take the lead in an era of mistrust • Board members have a central role to play in helping organizations steer a safe path in a polarized and skeptical world, writes Peter Voser

Can you rely on AI? Our checklist will ensure you avoid the pitfalls • In a world of deepfakes, hallucinations, and bias, Öykü Işık and José Parra Moyano offer guidance on how to trust your AI systems

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